Pipe-cleaning apparatus.



W. A. FRANK.

PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 6.1915.

I mi. M l" mv Atty' IMM M WILLIAM A. FRANK, 0F HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONAL WATER MAIN CLEANING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

PIPE-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application led July 6, 1915. Serial No. 38,342.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. FRANK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Hackensack, in the county of Bergen and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements inPipe-Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for cleaning the'interior of pipes such as water mains and the like, and the type ofdevice to which the invention is particularly although not exclusivelyapplicable is one which is advanced through the pipe bv the iow ofliquids therethrough, and in which the cutting elements are rotatedthrough the agency of a turbine construction.

The principal object of the invention is to rovide novel means formounting the guide wheels which form. a part of the device. Otherobjects will be disclosed in the following specification, andparticularly pointed out in claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustratively exem liied in theaccompanying drawing, in W ich- Figure 1 is an elevational view, partlyin section, of my improved cleaner; and

Fig. 2 is a front end view with parts broken away.

After a certain period of use pipes through which liquid (water) flowsbecome incrusted with a sediment of organic an mineral matters whichtends to materially reduce the capacity of the pipe. It has been foundthat such incrustation can best be removed mechanically by suitablecutting tools which rotate as they advance through the pipe.

The present invention has in view a form of devices provided with arotary cutter head carrying suitable tools for, actmg against theinterior incrustation upon the 1 e. p lfeferring to the accompanyingdrawings by reference characters, 10 ldenotes the casing 0r body of thedevice which 1s preferably of cylindrical form completely open at oneend. At the forward end of the casing I provide a stator head 11 havingstator passages 12 therethrough. The stator 11 is provided with acentral bearing 13 into which is threaded a stein or shaft 14 projectingsome distance forwardly from the stator. Threadedto the rear end of thestem 14 is a nut 15 to prevent end play or dlsplacement of the shaft 14.

Coperable with the stator 11 is a rotor element 16, preferably ofannular form, and provided with rotor ducts 17. The rotor 16 iscentrally apertured and threaded to receive the threaded hub 18 of anelongated sleeve 19 which surrounds, and is adapted to revolve about,the shaft or stem 14. Suitable ball bearings 20 at opposite ends of thesleeve 19 enable the rotor and its appurtenant parts to revolve aboutthe stem 14 with a minimum of friction. 21 is a cylindrical cap threadedon to the forward end of the sleeve 19 to close the sleeve againstaccess of extraneous matter thereto.

Secured to the outer face of the rotor 16, by any suitable means, as bycan screws 22, is a holder head in the form of a spider, and comprises acentral plate 23 having radiating arms 24 each of which has a slot 25near its outer extremity. For purposes of brev ity of description thisholder head will be termed the rear holder head. Clamped be` tween ashoulder 26 near the forward end of the sleeve 19 and the rear edge ofthe cap 21 is a second holder head, which will be'termed the forwardholder head. The forward holder head comprises a central plate 27 havingradiating bifurcated arms 28 the number and position of the arms 28coinciding with lthose of the arms 24.

Secured inf each pair of coinciding arms 24 and 28 is a comb like curvedsupport 29, between the tines of which are a plurality of rotatablymounted cutter elements 30. These cutter elements are preferably formedas toothed wheels such as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Thedrawing illustrates a machine capable of supportmg eight cutter combs,but obviously this nurnber may be varied at will to suit the exigenciesof the occasion. Y

Carried .at or near the front and rear ends of the casing 10 areflexible sheathg ings 31 which may be made of any suitable material thatis capable of {iexinof and resistant to abrasive action. Eacli of thesheathings is maintained in distended position by an annular coiledspring 32 which presses against the inwardly extending overlapped end ofthe sheathing 31. The sheathing performs the double function vofassisting in yieldmgly supporting the dei necessary during the cleaningoperation.

For the purpose of guiding the cleaning device through the pipe andassisting inpreventing rotation of the stator within the pipe beingcleaned, I provide a plurality of guide wheels 34 which are preferablyarranged in oppositely disposed pairs, each wheel of a pair beingcarried at one end of a suitably formed spring support the structure ofwhich will be presently described. The wheels 34 have their peripheriespreferably fairly sharp so as to facilitate movement through the ipe.

As will be noted) particularly in Fig. 1, each of the wheels 34 iscarried on a shaft 35, and the latter has a bearin in sockets 36 atopposite sides of the whe 34. These sockets are preferably formed bycurling up the ends of the lower leaf 37 of a series of leaf springsdesignated -generally as 37, such springs being superposed and held insuperposed relation by what may be termed shackles 38, each shacklecomprising a flexi- =ble plate 38a and the shackle arms proper 38 whichbend down over and embrace the side edges of the springs 37a. Eachseries of springs is so arranged that one of its ends terminates nearthe rear. end of the casing 10, while its other end terminates somewhatback of the forward end of the casing 10, and to accommodate the wheels34 the casing 10 is provided with slots 39 of a width just aboutsuiicient to receive the wheels 34. Obviously there are as many slots 39in the casing 10 as there are wheels carried at the ends of the springs37. Each pair of spring series is bent centrally by .a spring shaper 40which is substantially triangular in form and the apex of which supports,the springs at approximately vtheir middle. an angular spring holder 41which is secured to the casing 10 by through bolt connections 42. TheseShapers arch the springs, thus increasing their stiffness.

The device operates substantially in the following manner :-It is firstplaced in the pipe or conduit to, be cleaned, and water under suitablepressure is then admitted to such pipe. As the water impinges against 'ij and under lthe sheathings 31 the device will advance at a suitablerate of speed. The water flowing through the stator and rotor ducts 12and'17, respectively, will turn the At each side ofthe shaper 40 isrotor 16 and with -it the'entire cutter head, so that the toothed wheels30 will act against the incrustation and remove the same rom theinterior of the pipe. Such particles of the incrustation as are merelyloosened by the cutter wheels 30 are entirely removed f by the waterflowing through the 'p-ipe.

'cleaned owing to the limited movement of the wheels 34 radially of thecasing 10.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In abination o a casing, cutting means carried thereby, elongated springssuppotrted by said casing, guiding members for the machine at oppositeends of said springs, and

substantially triangular spring Shapers supporting said springsintermediate their ends.

2. In a pipe cleaning machine, the combination of a casing, cuttingmeans carried thereby, elongated springs supported by said casing,guiding members for the machine at opposite ends of said springs,substan'tally triangular spring shapers supporting said Springsintermediate their ends, and means adjacent each shaper vfor clampingthe springs to the casing.

`3. 'In a pipe cleaning machine, the com- 'bination of a casing, cuttingmeans carried thereby, elongated springs extending lengthwise withinsaidcasing and one thereof having its opposite ends curled up to formbearings, shafts in said bearings, and guiding means for the machinecarried by said shafts, the latter being adapted to abut against theinside of the casing ,to limit' the outward.

movement of said guiding means. l

4. In a pipe cleaning machine, the combination cfa casing, cutting meanscarried thereby, a plurality of series of superposed leaf springssupported on the interior surface of said casing, guide wheels carriedby the opposite ends of 'each of said series of springs, and shafts uponwhich said guide wheels are mounted, said shafts being adapted to abutagainst the inside of the caslng to limit the outward movement of theguide wheels. e

5. In a bination o slots therein, cutting vmeans carried by said casing,springs supported on the interior surface of said casing and terminatingover the slots in said casmg, guiding means for the casing carried byopposite ends .of said springs, .and projecting through theslots in saidcaslng, and shafts in the ends of the ipe cleaning machine, the com`springs and upon which said guiding means are lmounted, said shaftsextending transversely of .the slots and Vadapted to abut' against theinside of the casing to limit the outward movement of said guidingmeans.-

6. In a pipe cleaning machine, the combination of a casing having aplurality of slots therein, cutting means carried by saideasing, aplurality of series of springsl suported on the interior surface of saidcasing one spring of each series having its,`

said slots, shafts in said bearings extending` transversely of saidslots, and 'guide Wheels 15 In testimony whereof I have afIiXed my .20

signature in presence of three Witnesses.

WILLIAM A. FRANK.

Witnesses;

S. A.'DEC0URTS, W. C. FRANK, CLINTON INGLEE.

